Becoming Diva
by Twisties
Summary: Maureen's Autobiography...AU, yaddah yaddah. I suck at these things. So sorry it took me so long to write it! But, it's gonna be amazin!
1. Chapter 1

Maureen and Joanne Jefferson sat at their home doing, well nothing

**A/N:**This one goes out to all of my readers, especially GorgeousSmile who said that she missed them! Oh, and just a bee tee dubs, Jaylyn, Jessica, and Angela will be mentioned in this. Soo, if you wanna know who they are but you haven't read A New Chapter, I suggest you do ;D

**Disclaimer:** You know the drill, I don't own, never will no matter how much I beg. I'll probably just get put in jail.

**Ashira Adonai**

Maureen and Joanne Jefferson sat at their home doing absolutely nothing. It was something they enjoyed to do actually. The pair sat together on the couch just being content in each other's company. Maureen was snuggled close to Joanne's head as Joanne slowly stroked the diva's hair.

Today was a rare day, the twins and Angela were off at the home of their grandparents' and for once the couple had some grown-up time alone.

"Pookie, I say we send the girls away more often…I can't remember the last time I could just sit and lie with you without someone busting in and disrupting us with some foolishness…"

Joanne smiled, "I know what you mean Honeybear; it is nice to just sit and relax with you."

"So how about we make that there new permanent residence. Your parents love the kids don't they?"

"Yeah," the lawyer replied laughing, "But no one except us could live with our kids for more than a week. They would kill them."

"I wouldn't tell…"

Joanne broke out into hearty laughter, "Maureen!" she said smacking her arm.

"I'm kidding! I don't know what I'd do if I lost my Jaylyn and Jessica."

"And Angela too…she'd have a fit for years if she knew you didn't mention her."

"Oh yeah, Angie…we _definitely_couldn't leave your parents with Angela. She's worse than Jaylyn and Jessica were combined at her age."

"Yeah, I love her to death, but that girl is one bad three-year old. Can you imagine her in school?"

"No way…I bet you she will she be like you were in school."

"Hey!" Maureen exclaimed while looking shocked, "I'll have you know I was an excellently behaved child and a wonderful student!"

"Oh really? Were you now?"

Maureen nodded vigorously, "Mhmm."

"You know, you've never told me about your childhood you know…I told you mine. You're not being fair," Joanne then pouted, trying to mock Maureen's signature.

The diva shook her head, "Don't even try to pull that off Pookie. You know that I'm the only one who can pout; I practically invented it!"

"Yeah, yeah, I know…a girl can try though can't she?"

"But it doesn't mean you will succeed…but no worries. I shall tell you the story of my humble upbringing. By the way, it will blow away your story…no offense, yours was good, but I am an _actor_. It naturally makes me better story teller…"

Joanne cocked an eyebrow at Maureen, "Whatever you say Honeybear. It better be a good story is all I'm saying…"

Maureen stood up from Joanne's lap and walked towards the bedroom, "Well, if you're going to go assuming it's not gonna be good then I won't even tell you!" The diva stuck her tongue out at Joanne in rebuttal.

"Aww Maureen, you know I was kidding, come on…I'll even get you a beer so your throat won't dry out as you tell it."

The diva thought over the proposal the lawyer gave and finally gave in. She couldn't help it, she loved telling stories. If she got to share her story with Joanne, it was just a plus. Maureen ran over to Joanne and landed in her lap again with a thump.

"Okay, well here we go. The best story you've ever heard in your life. The best story you'll ever here. The greatest piece of storytelling—"

'Uh, Maureen," Joanne said smiling, "I hate to interrupt you when you seem off to such a great start, but…could you actually start the story?"

Maureen huffed, "Jeez Honeybear, it's called dramatic build up. But anyway, back to my story. I remember my birth like it was yesterday… It was 1965 and my parents were some of the original hippies; in fact the first thing I smelled out of the womb was weed. Apparently it was calming to baby; and boy, lemme tell you I was super calm."

* * *

"Come on Lisa, you can see all his hair already!" Evan Johnson watched his wife Lisa push a baby out of what seemed to be an incredibly small space as he smoked a joint. This was one of the craziest things he'd ever seen and he was high on top of it all.

"Evan, is he gorgeous? Do I have a gorgeous little baby boy?"

"Aww yeah baby, he's gonna be one of the most handsome boys out there. Just keep pushing baby…the midwife says you just gotta keep pushing. Right Jodi?"

Jodi, the midwife, looked at the couple through her pink-tinted shades and smiled. "Evan's right Lisa; just keep pushing and keep the positive energy going. You're gonna have a perfect new baby boy in no time."

With one final push the new baby popped out of Lisa and into Jodi's arms. The previously semi-quiet room was filled with the cries of a new born baby.

"Aw, Lisa he's beautiful…he's just, just…"

Jodi handed the baby to Lisa and smiled her caring smile once again, "He's a she. So, what do you want to call her Mrs. Johnson?"

"Evan, what do you think??"

The new baby girl smiled at Evan, "Aw, Lisa, I couldn't choose, you do the honors. I didn't have to carry her around for nine months…you do it."

Lisa leaned over to kiss Evan's cheek before deciding on a name, "Well, Jodi, I think we're gonna call her Maureen. Maureen Victoria Rose Johnson. What do you think?"

Jodi nodded and pushed her glasses up her nose, "That, my young friend is an epic name to live up to. But I'm sure if anyone could it would be the daughter of Evan and Lisa Johnson."

Being born to her parents was no small feat for Maureen. Her mother had been abused when she was younger and finally left her home at age 12. When she was living with her friend Jodi in Scarsdale, she met Evan, a 15 year old who she immediately became attracted to. As of now, Lisa was only 17 and Evan was 21. The odds were against the parents, but with the sheer determination of the two of them, little Maureen would be loved.

**Three Years Later—1968 **

"Maureen! Put on some clothes, please baby!!" Lisa exclaimed as Maureen ran outside their humble home without a piece of clothing to cover her at all.

"I'm as fwee as a birdy, mommy! Watch me wun!!" the toddler yelled back as she jumped around making circles with her arms in the very open, very exposed front yard.

Of course as Maureen was running one of the family's very uptight neighbor was walking her dog in front of the house.

"Oh, hello Mrs. Applebee! Lovely day, don't you think so?" Lisa said trying to ignore the fact that her daughter was running around in the nude.

The old lady huffed and hurried her dog away as Maureen tried to pet the dog.

"Okay, little Rose…time for us to go inside. I think you've been nude for long enough today. Don't you agree??"

Maureen pouted at her mother and her brown eyes doubled in size. Somehow Maureen learned that if she did that she could get just about whatever she wanted because it would melt anybody's heart.

"But mommy, I thoughted I was fwee?"

Lisa smiled and gave Maureen butterfly kisses on her belly. "Yes, I did say that Maureen, but there is a fine difference between being free and being illegal."

"Ooooh…Mommy, what's i-yee-gal mean?"

"I_ll_egal means that the policemen could come and get you because what you're doing is wrong. And running around with your bum showing is very wrong."

"Ooooh…so is that why daddy hides his smelly cigarettes? Are those i-yee-gal too?"

Lisa couldn't help but laughing at how bright her daughter was sometimes, "Actually yes. You are correct. But let's not talk about that okay? Right now, I think we should take you inside and get you into bed. It's nap time."

"But mommy, I really don't wanna take a nap." Maureen said matter-of-factly.

"Hmm, well I guess if you _really_ don't want to then you shouldn't have to take one…So how about we just go inside and sit on your comfy bed together and I'll sing you a song. Does that sound nice?"

Little Maureen smiled and nodded emphatically. She loved it when her mother sang to her in her deep throaty alto voice. Sometimes the three year old wished she could just capture that voice and use it herself.

"What are you gonna sing me mommy?" Maureen asked yawning as her mother put her into a clean pair of panties and an oversized tee-shirt.

"Well, what do you want me to sing to you? The choice is always yours, remember that. You can do whatever you want…within reason."

"Ummm, how about just a nice one."

Just then Evan popped into the room from a day working at the factory. Since Maureen was born he'd gotten ahead in his job and he could now control his own hours and still bring home a paycheck that he could use to support his now wife and daughter.

"Just a nice one? Well aren't you specific…" He said with arms open wide as Maureen ran into them.

"Daddy!! Hi!" Maureen exclaimed as she stroked Evan's goatee. He was trying something new and apparently Maureen liked it.

"Are you about to take a nap?"

Maureen shook her head, "No. Mommy said I could do what I wanna, so she just gonna sing to me. But I'm not" Maureen yawned here, "sleepy at all."

"Ooh, she's just gonna _sing_ to you?" Evan winked at Lisa and Maureen nodded.

"You can stay if you wanna…"

Evan kissed Maureen's hair before handing her over to her mother. "Thank you, but no thank you. I have to go shower and get this yucky factory smell off of me."

Maureen smiled and scurried down her father's leg, "Okay, daddy."

She snuggled onto her mother and waited diligently for her to start singing. First though, Lisa brushed out Maureen's long wavy hair and put it into a French braid. She slowly rocked Maureen back and forth and little by little the toddler's eyes started drooping.

"Mommy, sing…"

Lisa kissed Maureen's hair. "Okay sweetheart."

Lisa opened her mouth and began singing an old Hebrew song. It roughly translated to 'I will sing unto Adonai for He has triumphed gloriously. Who is like You, O Adondai, among the gods? Who is like You, glorious in holiness? In Your mercy, you lead the people You redeemed. I will sing, I will sing, I will sing...'

Before times got rough with her family, Lisa's mother used to sing it to her every day before bed. It reminded Lisa, who considered herself a fairly religious person, that no matter what, there was always someone watching over her—and now, her little daughter Maureen.

_Ashira l'adonai ki gaoh ga-ah  
Ashira l'adonai ki gaoh ga-ah  
Mi chamocha baelim adonai  
Mi kamocha nedar bakodesh  
_

_Nachita v'chas-d'cha am zu ga-alta  
Nachita v'chas-d'cha am zu ga-alta  
Ashira ashira ashira_

Evan walked in fifteen minutes later alter his shower and looked at Lisa holding Maureen.

"Is she asleep?" he asked as he sat on the bed with the two of them.

"I think she finally is…"

"Isn't she gorgeous?"

"Yeah," Lisa replied, "she's our little gem."

**A/N: Eh, I wasn't too fond of the ending, but tell me what you think!!**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Huge, huge, huge news! I no longer have a working computer at home. Therefore, I will try my hardest to get up at least one chapter every Saturday or Sunday so that you all don't get all angry mob like. I'm soooo sorry about all of it and it's pretty pissy because I have to use my mom's work laptop…but I'll try to make this work!**

**School Days**

The Johnson family had just moved for the third time this year. But this time, the family wasn't focused on unpacking because something even more amazing was orccuring at that very moment. Tomorrow morning the biggest thing would happen since Maureen's birth. The little diva was going to kindergarten.

"Mommy, mommy, tomorrow my first day of school!" Maureen yelled as she bounded down the stairs out of her bedroom.

"I know Maureen, it is…so you have to go to sleep!" Lisa smiled as she pushed her daughter and all her excitement back up the stairs.

"But I'm too excited to sleep mommy! Where's daddy? He has to be here to say goodnight."

Lisa's smile faltered for a split second before she replied, "he's working still honey. But I promise you that if you go to sleep, he'll be in there to give you a kiss goodnight..."

Maureen nodded, "Okay mommy. I'll see you in the morrrrrningggg!!"

"That girl is something else," Lisa replied to herself as she watched Maureen go back into her room.

Lisa sat on the couch reading a new book of hers when twenty minutes later Evan walked into the house reeking of weed and vodka. He stumbled over to Lisa and tried kissing her on the neck.

"Ew, Evan, you're all grody. Where have you been anyway? Maureen was looking for you…"

"Hey baby, it's 420. I was out partying like you should have been. Gimme a break!"

"Evan there's a difference between partying a little and leaving us at home alone all day."

Evan sighed and leaned back on the couch. "You're right…tomorrow's Mo's first day of school. I should have been here. How was the little diva today?"

"Very much herself. But don't change the subject Evan. I think you have a problem! Everyday you're smoking weed and this is the third time we've had to move! You gotta grow up sometime. We have a daughter now you know…"

"Damnit Lisa! Don't you think I know these things?" Evan stormed out of the living room. He took a cleansing breath before walking into Maureen's room to chat with her before she fell asleep. Lisa sat on the couch breathing heavily and trying not to cry. All she wanted was the perfect family. But with Evan's drug habit worsening, it seemed that would never come.

**Next Morning**

It was 5:30 in the morning. The pitter patter of a soft rain could be heard outside the home. A peaceful calm seemed to hover over the house and all its inhabitants. However the calm would soon be interrupted by a force so strong not even the smartest meteorologists knew what to do: Hurricane Maureen.

"Wake up!! We gotta go to school!! Everybody wake upppp!!" Maureen ran into her parent's room screaming at the top of her lungs for them to get up.

"Come on you guys, it's my first day of kindergarten! Get up!"

Slowly Evan and Lisa opened their eyes. Evan looked at the time and cursed.

"Shit, Maureen it's 5:30 in the morning, baby. You don't have to be at school 'till 9:15. go back to sleep please."

Lisa hit Evan on the arm, "Evan, language please!"

Maureen on the other hand stood next to her daddy as her mother began rising from the bed. She pouted and jumped on the bed next to him. "But daddy…it's my first day. Can we just get up now for this one day? Please??"

Even a grumpy tired Evan couldn't resist a pouting Maureen and soon enough he gave in. "Oh fine you cutie. Come on; let's go get something to eat. What do you want for breakfast today?"

Maureen grabbed her father's hand and started towards the kitchen, "Um, I dunno. What do we got to eat?"

"What do we _have_ to eat?" Her mother corrected as she trailed behind the duo.

"What? Mommy you silly, I already asked that!"

Evan chuckled and shook his head. "We have waffles, oatmeal, cereal, bagels…whatever you want. You can take your pick Missy."

"Wellllll…I want… waffles!"

"Excellent choice! Now Mommy, will you begin making the waffles as I make the coffee?" Even asked Lisa.

"No problem." Lisa began making waffles for the family and Evan poured Maureen a glass of orange juice before making his coffee. Maureen walked into the living room and began watching cartoons while her parents talked.

"Um Evan, what time do you have to be at work today?"

"About 8:30-ish, why?"

"Well, I wondered if you'd be joining us as I walked Maureen to her first day of school."

Evan shook his head, "Nope."

"Oh."

"Oh what?"

"Nothing. I just think Mo would have liked to have you there."

"Well, I gotta work, so I can't sorry. You do want me to make money for this family right?"

Lisa nodded. "Right…right…" With that Evan walked off back into the room to catch a bit more sleep before he had to go to work.

After Lisa finished cooking she helped Maureen to get ready. She helped brush her teeth, give her a bath, and brush her hair. But when it was time to pick out an outfit to wear, Maureen wasn't having any of it.

"Please, please, _please_ let me pick out my clothes mommy!" Maureen said as she began to cry.

Finally after Lisa could feel a tantrum on the way, she gave in. "Fine Mo. What do _you_ want to wear today?"

Maureen immediately stopped crying and perked up. "I wanna wear my orange dress with my cool black tights and my green cowboy boots."

"Fine. Let's go find it all then so you can get ready. It's already 8:15 and we need to leave at 8:45. So hurry up little one."

"Okay mommy!"

Maureen ended up looking like a pumpkin, but as long as she was happy and not crying—and wearing clothes—Lisa was content. The two of them finished getting dressed, said goodbye to Evan as he was on his way out, and got in the car to drive to school.

Maureen ran out of the car immediately as it halted in front of Sunnyside Kindergarten Center.

"Wow…"

"Yep Maureen…you're a big kid now," Lisa said. She grabbed Maureen's hand and walked her into the building.

"Okay, so if you get too sad or scared, or just wanna talk to me, you can call me any time of the day and I'll come get you, okay? And remember to smile…no hitting people either…share your toys and make lots of friends. We'll go get ice cream after school and talk about you day, okay?"

"Mommy…you're a-berrassing me!"

Lisa laughed and gave Maureen a big hug. "I love you baby."

"I love you too mommy," Maureen responded. She ran into the kindergarten room and never looked back.

* * *

"Aww, Honeybear you were cute. Bad, but adorable."

"Hey!" Maureen exclaimed, "I was not bad."

Joanne laughed in response, "Maureen, you were hella bad! Don't even try to lie about it."

"Nuh-uh…I was just my own person who liked to wear orange and hop on my daddy sometimes… I miss that guy."

"You wanna talk about it?" Joanne asked caringly.

"Maybe another time. Plus, I shouldn't complain, I have a pretty decent step dad. Sometimes, I just miss my old pot smoking dead beat dad. You know what I mean?"

Joanne shook her head slowly, "No…sorry sweetie, I don't."

Maureen laughed and kissed Joanne's nose, "Yeah, I wouldn't suspect you would… But I'll tell you about him one day. Then maybe you'll see why I miss him so much. Even though he was a total stoner, he was a cool guy."

**A/N: Te gusta mi cuento? Well…yeah, hopefully next Saturday I'll be able to have the next chapter up if my mom doesn't forget the computer at work. Cross those cyber-fingers my RENT loving amigos!**


	3. Chapter 3

**But I Thought You Liked School**

Little Maureen walked into the house after getting off of the bus (now that she was in 2nd grade she could take the bus) and slammed the door behind her.

"I'm never going back to that place!"

"What place?" Lisa asked, voice filled with concern. She trailed after Maureen picking up everything that she dropped on the floor which included bookbag, her jacket and a note her teacher sent home with the class.

"School! I hate it and I'm never going back there!"

"But, I thought you loved school Maureen. What happened?"

The drama queen sighed, "What didn't happen?"

Lisa held back her smile and tried to get deeper into the story. "Well how about you tell me what did happen?"

"Everything mommy! Gosh. First, I was trying to color, but it wasn't coloring time so the teacher took away my coloring crayons. How rude! Then I wanted to read during quiet time and she wouldn't let me! Why can't I just do what I want to do?"

"Well sweetie, seeing as to how school is an institution of learning, you're expected to do what they tell you to do when they ask you too. That's probably why you kept getting all of your things taken away."

Maureen huffed, "Well. That just makes me want to not go to school even more. I'm never going back there."

Lisa shook her head and went to get Maureen her afternoon snack: a juice box and some fruit snacks. "Um, I'm sorry to inform you babe, but you have to go back. Tomorrow."

"What?!"

"Yep, you have to go back tomorrow. It's the law."

"Well daddy breaks the law and gets away with it. Why can't I do that?"

"Daddy and you aren't the same people."

"Yuh-huh. We're best friends, mom."

Lisa raised her voice, "Yes, but you and daddy can't do the same things. Besides, why would you want to be like your dad? He has no job, he's not successful…what good does he have going for him?"

Maureen stared at her mother with her mouth agape. For once, the little diva was silent. Lisa rubbed her temples and tried to calm down as fast as possible.

"I'm sorry; you shouldn't have heard me say that."

"It's okay mommy, we all have bad days. Just like I'm having a bad day. So, I won't go to school anymore and you don't have to talk to daddy anymore. Is that fair?"

Lisa laughed at her daughter's 'wisdom'. "You're a funny girl. But that's not how we solve our problems, not matter how perfect it sounds…Come on, let's go to the park. Maybe that will make us feel better."

"Even before I do my homework?" Maureen asked flabbergasted.

"Even before you do your homework." Lisa said smiling.

"This day just keeps getting better and better!"

The two went to the park and spent about four hours there before Lisa got tired and Maureen had to do her homework. Soon the two of them reached the house and laid down for a nice nap.

Around six o'clock that night, Ryan came home with pizza and sodas for the two women who he'd assumed had been working hard. What Lisa said to him about a week ago hit him pretty hard and he'd been trying to change his ways since then. He'd found another job—a real one now, since he got fired from his factory job weeks ago—and was trying to be the man he knew his wife wanted him to be.

After unlocking the doors and walking across the threshold of the house, he saw Maureen and Lisa sleeping quietly together on the couch. He almost didn't want to wake them but he was hungry and he knew Lisa tear him a new one if he didn't offer to share the pizza with her and Maureen.

He slowly walked over to the couch and nudged Lisa. "Hey, I bought a pizza. Extra cheese; your favorite…"

"Mmm, sounds good."

"I'll go set the table…you come in with Mo when you're ready."

Lisa got up and tried waking up Maureen, which was not successful at all, so she just put her to bed. She and Ryan needed to have a long talk besides.

"So how was your day at work?" Lisa asked as she sat down at the table and grabbed a piece of pizza.

"It was pretty good…works getting better. More bearable." Ryan replied as he chomped down on a slice.

"That's good…how's the boss?"

"He's a dick. I can already tell we're gonna have problems," Ryan complained.

Lisa scoffed, "Well that's the right attitude to have at your new job."

Ryan tried to stay calm as he talked with his wife. "I feel as though you have a problem with me and I don't know what I've done to deserve this shit."

"Please don't curse with our daughter in the other room sleeping! She could hear!"

"Well then answer me Lisa. What's your issue with me?"

Lisa was surprised how quickly the conversation escalated to this point, but she was glad it did. She needed to get something off of her chest.

"You are my issue Ryan. You just got a new job and already you're talking about how the boss is a dick! All I want is a man who can take care of our family. With you…it's just…I dunno. One day you have a job and you're doing fine and the next day you're off smoking a joint somewhere with some of your friends. I can't handle the instability. I need you to either be here or not here; not in between."

Ryan was shocked at how this conversation was going, "If I remember correctly, it wasn't too long ago that you too smoked pot with _our_ friends."

"Oh come on! That was 5 years ago! We have a child now Ry! We gotta be responsible. If not for ourselves, for Maureen."

Ryan stopped eating his pizza and looked Lisa in the eyes. "So what do you want from me? What can I give you since apparently my trying isn't enough."

"Ryan," Lisa replied sighing, "If you actually tried I wouldn't have a problem. But as soon as you find one problem, you quit…and I just can't have that in this house."

"Are you…you're not… But I thought it was going well with us Lisa. I thought we were doing alright."

"We aren't doing alright Ryan, and I am serious. I want you gone. By tomorrow. Good bye Ryan."

Lisa got up from the table and kissed Ryan on the forehead. He sat alone at the table for a minute or two, dumbstruck that this was what was happening to him. He slowly got up, cleared the table of his dishes, and went into Maureen's room.

As he watched the girl peacefully sleeping, he almost didn't want to wake her up. But he had to leave, and he wanted to get one last chance to kiss his little girl.

"Maureen, hey Mo…baby, Daddy wants to say goodbye to you."

Maureen was groggy from sleeping and half opened her eyes, "Where are you going daddy?"

"Daddy has to go away baby…I'll come visit you sometimes, but I'm not going to be here anymore, okay?"

"When are you coming back?"

Ryan held back his tears as he answered Maureen, "I'm not coming back. I can't…"

Maureen woke up then and grasped Ryan around his neck, "You can't leave me daddy! You just can't!"

Lisa had been watching the process from the door and walked in in case she had to take Maureen from Ryan.

"Please daddy, don't leave me here! I'll be nicer at school, please don't leave me here daddy!!"

Ryan couldn't help crying a bit then. He put Maureen down on the bed and wiped away her tears. "Just because I won't be at home living with you anymore doesn't mean that I'm not gonna be here with you okay? I'm always going to be right here, in your heart baby. Don't worry. And when you really miss me, just look deep down in your heart and I'll be there, 'kay?"

"Okay," sniffed the distressed Maureen.

Ryan handed her over to Lisa who held her as the two of them watched Ryan leave the house and get into his old beat up VW van and drive away. Lisa hoped that he would get help; he was addicted to marijuana. She hoped that her and Maureen would be able to survive on their own now and was thinking of places where she could get a job.

* * *

"And I just hoped that he would come back to me."

Maureen and Joanne were cuddling on the couch in their living room as Maureen continued to tell her story.

"Did he ever come back?" Joanne asked quietly as she stroked the diva's hair.

"No. He visited once on my 8th birthday and was high as hell, but he never came back after that. I still miss him sometimes Pookie."

"It's okay that you miss him. He's your daddy. I'm sure he's out there somewhere thinking about how much he misses you too," Joanne said nodding her head slowly.

"You really think so?"

"Oh Maureen, I'm positive."

"Well, I wanna find him too…maybe I'll look for _him_ one of these days… If I found my dad it would be the best birthday present I could ever have I think…"

Joanne just smiled at Maureen, someone who could still be called a Daddy's girl, and kissed her forehead. It was late at night, and soon the two of them fell into a slumber together. Maureen dreaming about a reunion with her father and Joanne dreaming the rewards she'd get from Maureen if she was the one who actually found Ryan.

Needless to say, they both slept very well.


	4. Chapter 4

**First Friends**

The next morning Maureen and Joanne were awakened by a very tired, very grumpy three year old. Angela climbed into bed and lay down on top of Maureen and Joanne.

"Mommy and Momma, wake up. Jess 'n' Jay woke me up!!"

Joanne tried to turn over, but her attempts were thwarted by a small child laying on top of her. "Ugh, Angie, can you not lay on Momma please?"

"But Mommaaaaa, I can't sleep nomore! They woke me upppp!"

"Alright, someone is cranky," Joanne said as she picked up Angie from her position on top of her and Maureen and placed her on the bed next to Maureen. "Now I want you to close your eyes missy, and I'll come back in here to wake you up later, when you have to leave to go to daycare, okay?"

"Yes Momma…" slowly, the toddler dosed off to sleep. Joanne then got up out of bed and went into the twins' room.

"Girls, next time you wake up early, please, please, PLEASE, don't wake up your sister. She's a very grumpy girl in the morning."

"Yeah, okay Momma," Jaylyn replied.

"Okay Momma dear," Jessica said overlapping her sister.

"Good. Now get dressed, I'll make you breakfast and then take you to school. We need to leave in 30 minutes. Do you know how long 30 minutes is?"

The twins looked at each other, then at the clock with concentration on their faces. "Ummm, no," Jessica finally answered.

"It's when the long hand is on the six. It's 7 o'clock now, and we need to leave at 7:30, got it?"

"Yes!" Jaylyn answered.

In Joanne and Maureen's room, Angie actually decided that she couldn't sleep. So, after trying to sleep for a few more minutes and finding out that she couldn't, she woke up her Mommy.

"Mommy, read me a book."

"Baby, I don't have a book with me in the bed; go back to sleep."

Angela, being the spoiled brat that she was couldn't take no for an answer and started crying incessantly. Maureen groaned and sat up, looking for a book.

"Where the hell's your mother when I need her? Okay, little one, I'll tell you a story I guess. But it has to be quick; you gotta go to daycare soon."

Angela stopped crying enough to talk to her mommy, "But, I don't like school. I don't got no friends."

"No friends?" Maureen gawked.

"Uh-uh," Angel replied shaking her head.

"Well, I have the perfect story for you. Because believe it or not, your mommy didn't have any friends either, but look at me now! People can't keep their hands off of me!"

"Okay!" Angela sat on Maureen's lap and prepared to listen to her story. Her big brown eyes gazed up at the diva like she was the only person in the world who mattered.

Maureen started: "It all started on one of the _rare_ days that I didn't want to go to school…"

* * *

"Mom, I don't have any friends at that stupid place! Don't make me go!"

"Ugh, Maureen, dear, must we have this conversation every day?"

"Yes." Maureen stated matter-of-factly.

"I guess so," Lisa replied, "Now Mo, you have to go to school because you have to learn. You have to learn so you can be smart. You have to be smart so you can get a job. You have to get a job so you can get money. You have to get money so you can get a house. In short, if you don't go to school, you're gonna be homeless when you grow up. Do you want that?"

The now 7 year old just looked at her mother and then quickly broke into a tantrum. "I don't wanna be homeless, but I don't wanna go to schoooool!!" She screamed while kicking at the floor.

Lisa, who was used to this kind of behavior at least one time a week, picked up Maureen and sat her on her lap. She was planning on getting to the bottom of this severe hatred of school.

"Alright Little Rose, tell me what's really up. Why don't you ever want to go to school?"

"I just don't like it mommy. I don't got no friends."

"No friends!? But Maureen, you're the sweetest little girl I know. Why don't you have any friends?"

"I dunno…people just don't like me."

Lisa's face looked thoughtful before she responded to Maureen's comment. "Hmm, okay, so I have an idea on how you can make friends."

"_Really?_"

"Yes, really," Lisa replied, "Okay. So today when you are in class—during free time obviously, I don't want you in trouble—I want you to find someone who looks nice and just walk up to them."

"Just, walk up to them?"

"Mhmm, just walk up to them and say hi or something. I know you have something up your sleeve that will make them like you. Just go for it babe."

Maureen breathed a dramatic sigh, "Okay. I think I can do this mom."

"I know you can."

At school that day, during free time, Maureen found someone who was also alone. He looked like he would be a nice person to talk to, so Maureen bravely went up to him.

"Hi. I'm Maureen, be my friend please."

The little boy turned around. He was adorable; he was actually the color of a chocolate kiss and had inquisitive brown eyes, even for a 6 year old. He had the sweetest smile and Maureen knew that they could be friends.

"Sure! I don't got no friends around here anyway. You seem nice, plus you're funny. You always get into trouble. I'm Thomas."

"Well hello Thomas. I think you're pretty neat too. How come you don't have a nickname or nothing? Thomas is so grown-up."

Thomas thought about it for a moment, "I don't really know. I just like Thomas I guess. You wanna give me a nickname?"

"Yes!" Maureen beamed, "Ummm, what's your last name?"

"Collins."

"Can it be just Collins then?"

"Sure! I like that; it's cool."

"Then it will be Collins. So you gotta make sure everybody else calls you that, okay? Except me, I wanna still call you Thomas. Then I can be different."

"Whatever."

Maureen and Collins played throughout the day, becoming friends very quickly. The two had a lot in common. For instance they didn't like school: Collins was too smart and learned all this before he started school, and Maureen just didn't like the learning aspect. The hated listening to the teacher: Collins thought she was a "stinky face" and Maureen thought her rules were pointless and made to "opresh the little people". It seemed as though the two of them were soul mates.

Maureen went home that day thrilled; her mom's advice really worked.

"Mommy, mommy! I love school!! I made a friend. His name is Collins—well his real name is Thomas but I gave him a nickname—and he's nice and he smiles a lot and he's funny and the bestest friend I ever had!"

"Wow!" Lisa replied, "That's great!!"

"Mhmm, I like it a lot now. Thanks for the advice mom!"

Lisa watched as Maureen went to play in her room and smiled to herself. She was glad she could do something to help her daughter in school.

* * *

"So you see Ang, you just gotta go out there and make people be your friends. That's how your Uncle Collins and me became friends!"

Angela smiled; she _loved_ her Uncle Collins, they'd always had a special bond. "I wanna make a friend like Uncle Collins!!"

"I bet you can, too. You're nicer than I was when I was little. So today, when you go to school, you just walk up to somebody okay?"

"Mhmm. Thanks Mommy!"

Maureen kissed Angela's hair and gave her a big hug, "You're welcome baby."

**I thought the ending was meeehhhh, but hope you liked it! I'm gonna try and finish it before June 29****th****, b/c after that I'm gone for 5 ½ weeks for Center for Creative Youth—acting camp EXTREEEMMME!!**


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: I don't own RENT or Super Nintendo, even though it was the coolest thing ever

**Disclaimer: I don't own RENT or Super Nintendo, even though it was the coolest thing ever. Also, I would like to apologize for the ridiculously long wait, but this will be finished by Thursday of next week because now, camp is over and I've gotten over the after-camp-blues. Sooo, here is chapter 5! I hope you enjoy it. Oh, and it's dedicated to my girlfriend Vivian, because I haven't seen her in almost as long I haven't written…and she said she loves my stories. Love you babeeee!**

**Fifth Grade is Confusing**

Maureen Johnson had just turned 10 years old. The little diva had finally hit the double digits and was thrilled at all the new possibilities life gave to her. She could stay up until 8:45 now, she could watch TV for a whole hour, and the coolest thing was that Collins could sleep over her house now.

"Mom," Maureen asked Lisa as she was cooking dinner, "Can Collins sleep over tonight?"

Lisa shook her head no.

"No? But Mom, I'm 10. One Zero. You said Collins could sleep over once I turned 10. This is so unfair!"

"Maureen, I know I said Collins could sleep over, but not tonight. You have to plan these things sweetie. And besides with my back hurting all the time, I just can't be responsible for both of you tonight."

When Maureen was 9, Lisa started to have terrible back spasms and went to the hospital to get it looked at. It turned out that she had to get back surgery. Apparently when she was younger she fell down the stairs damaging her back, but she never knew. The doctors discovered what was wrong and went in to try and fix whatever they could surgically. But her spine had been damaged so long ago that all the doctors could do was try and make her as comfortable as possible. They gave her every single type of pain killer knowable to man and sent her back home.

"But Mom, I already called him! And you don't even have to watch us if your back hurts. I'll go get you some of your medicine and we can just watch a movie in the living room!! Come on, please?"

Lisa still shook her head, "Maureen, I said no; and no means no in this house okay? I hate when I have to get all strict on you, but honestly, sometimes you just go overboard. And what's our rule about using the phone?"

Maureen mumbled because she was too busy feeling bad for herself to care anymore, "That I can't use it if you don't give me permission."

"Right. Because apparently when you were younger, you enjoyed calling China and other far away places."

Maureen smiled, "Nuh-uh! I only did that once Mom!"

Lisa was glad Maureen was coming out of her pout, "Well once is enough for my pocketbook. Now sweetie, I'm sorry Collins can't come over, I know you really wanted him too, but maybe next week, okay? I'll talk to his mom about it after we eat; now go wash your hands."

The two of them ate dinner as Maureen told her mother about her escapades at school.

"So me and Collins met this really skinny white guy named Mark. He has really big ugly glasses and his mom makes him wear a coat all the time. But he's funny 'cause he's so shy."

"Oh that's nice…you and Collins need to make other friends. Do you have any friends who are girls Maureen?"

Maureen thought about it for a second, "Well, there's this one girl Jayna who's really pretty and nice to talk to. And then there's Michelle who has really nice hair. I like Noa too, she's nice…but I guess I just like talking to Collins the most. He's all cool and smart. But t he girls are pretty in my class I guess… why?"

"No reason, you just never talk about any of the girl friends that you have. When I was your age I had lots of girl friends. But then again you've always been special, I guess you just naturally gravitate towards boys."

"I guess so. Can I leave, I'm full and I wanna call Collins and tell him that he can't come over tonight."

"Sure thing sweetheart."

Maureen cleared her stuff off the table and went into the living room to use the phone. She dragged the cordless phone all the way to her room and sat at her door and dialed the number for Collins' house.

The phone rang three times before Collins' mom picked up the phone. "Hello? Collins' residence; Mary speaking."

"Hi Mrs. Collins. Is Tom there? It's Maureen, I just wanna talk to him for a while."

"Sure Maureen, no problem at all." Mrs. Collins gave Collins the phone and he answered.

"Hey Maureen, I only got 30 minutes. I didn't do my chores today so I'm sorta gonna be in trouble if my mom finds out. You know."

"Um yeah sure…so you can't sleep over tonight because my mom's back is hurting. She said maybe next week we can, okay?"

"Uh-huh. That's okay, I have homework and stuff to do anyway."

Maureen seemed distracted as she talked to Collins and he started to notice after a while. "Hey Maureen," he asked after a while, "What's wrong?"

"I dunno. My mom is always saying these weird things. Like 'how come you don't have no girl friends' Well, it's just because I like hanging out with you. Is that bad? Do you have a lot of guy friends Collins?"

"Other than that new guy Mark, not really…they aren't all that fun to hang out with; they're all pushy. I prefer to read than to hurt people with my brute strength in a game of football."

"Oh. Okay." Maureen paused, "Well, you are weird Collins, so maybe that's why."

The friends laughed with each other. "Well maybe Maureen, you just don't like girls."

"But that's the thing, I think girls are all really pretty. I love to be around them, I'm just not as comfortable around them as I am around you. What about you Tom, do you like boys?"

"Yes."

"That's it?"

"Yes. I like boys Maureen."

"Okay…well then maybe it's me. I dunno, maybe I'm the weird one. Whatever, I'll talk to you tomorrow?"

Collins cleared his throat, "Yeah. I'll see you at school. And do your homework! There's only so many answers that I can give you."

"Bye-bye, my friend."

"Au revior mon ami!"

Collins hung up the phone and sighed. Life could sometimes be difficult with a friend as self absorbed as Maureen. But he still loved her like a sister.

The next day Maureen vowed that she'd be normal and have all sorts of friends. She went up to some of the girls and tried talking to her but none of them wanted to talk to her. So she tried again like her mom had told her to in first grade. Maureen walked up to one of the girls who sat at her table in art class, Susie Wiesfield.

"Hey Susie, I know we don't talk a lot, but do you wanna hang out sometime?"

"Aren't you always with Thomas?" Susie asked.

"Well yeah, but we're trying to expand our somethings…I dunno, we talked about it. So you wanna be?"

"Be what?"

"Friends I guess…"

"Um sure Maureen…me and a couple of my friends are going to get ice cream with my mom today; she can bring you too if you want to come."

"Sure, why not! Oh, and I love your hair, it's really pretty."

Susie touched her hair which was in a ribbon today and smiled, "Thanks!"

Maureen sighed…this making friends with girls was harder than she imagined.

"So Collins, I'm gonna hang out with Susie after school, okay?"

Collins smiled, "Sure, I was gonna have Mark over to play Super Nintendo anyway."

Maureen snapped her fingers in frustration, "Jeeze, I love video games! Oh well, I'll see you tomorrow buddy!"

"Bye Maureen!"

Having ice cream with the girls was fun; Maureen had more in common with them than she thought. Maybe she was just made to be friends with everybody. Maureen still liked hanging out with Collins and Mark (she thought Mark was a cutie because he was so shy around her), but she liked to spend time with Susie and her friends too. As 5th grade school year ended, Maureen was excited for middle school. There would be lots of new people for both Maureen and Collins to meet. But what the two didn't know was just how difficult middle school would be, even for a genius like Collins. Things that they never assumed would happen, would happen. Their friendship would also be tested greatly. But for now, the two enjoyed being the oldest in elementary school, enjoyed being best friends, and enjoyed making new friends too.

**I really could not think of an end to this chapter, so I sorta summed it up and gave you a cliffy I think?? I dunno. Did you like it? I thought it was a little all over the place, but give me your feedback please!**


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